Cobra Cosmetics II: How to Refinish?

Birdbones wrote:
I have an old Eiri Avion fiberglass trailer. Two years ago I asked an
autobody paint specialist friend how to deal with the deteriorating
gel coat. He said " Why don't you just paint it with house paint". I
took his advice and applied it with a roller and paint brush after a
good scrubbing. Two tone with a third color mimicing graphics on my
ship. So far it is holding up well.

The house paint I'm familiar with chalks noticeably over time. Is yours
chalking or is it retaining a good gloss?
--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA

www.motorglider.org - Download "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane
Operation"

Eric Greenwell wrote:
The house paint I'm familiar with chalks noticeably over time. Is yours
chalking or is it retaining a good gloss?

I used a semi gloss latex paint and so far it is not chalky, but it is
only two years. It is probably not the best way to go if you are
looking for a pristine finish. I used it on a 25 year old trailer to
extend it's life and protect the contents. I may have to repaint it
again sometime in the future as one would a house.
Randy Cone

With that logic he should have used shingles which
would last even longer.

At 10:30 20 July 2006, Chris Reed wrote:
A friend of mine has just repainted his trailer with
masonry paint
(designed for the plastered/rendered exterior walls
of houses). This
gives a matt finish, but it looks pretty good.

His reasoning is that the paint has to stick to the
house for 10 years
or so, so it should stick to a trailer equally well!

Will try to remember to report in 10 years time how
it's holding up.

Birdbones wrote:
I have an old Eiri Avion fiberglass trailer. Two years
ago I asked an
autobody paint specialist friend how to deal with
the deteriorating
gel coat. He said ' Why don't you just paint it with
house paint'. I
took his advice and applied it with a roller and paint
brush after a
good scrubbing. Two tone with a third color mimicing
graphics on my
ship. So far it is holding up well. Cost: less than
$40 in materials.
I live high up in Colorado and a house paint that
does not deal with UV
would have little value. Should you be in Moriarty,
take a look of some
of the old trailers on the tarmac with enjoyable graphic
paint jobs. It
gave me the sensation that a trailer can be a fun
billboard. Many of
these were done quite awhile ago and seem to be holding
their colors.

Randy 'Crash' Cone
.
wrote:

An amazing (to me) amount of interest in refreshing
faded vinyl trim
strips indicates pilots are serious about making their
[gliders'] rides
look good. But what about the trailer itself? My 14-year-old
glass-top
Cobra has a few cracks, nicks, etc., that will require
work this
winter. Matching the existing gel coat looks tough.
And I'd rather save
my refinishing money for the glider itself some day.
So what's been the
experience repairing/refinishing/painting German glass-top
trailers?

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 'JB'

My friend who repainted the top of his fiberglass top
Cobra says he used polyurethane white deck paint from
'Boater's World.' And he used a roller to apply it.

Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA



wrote:

An amazing (to me) amount of interest in refreshing
faded vinyl trim
strips indicates pilots are serious about making their
[gliders'] rides
look good. But what about the trailer itself? My 14-year-old
glass-top
Cobra has a few cracks, nicks, etc., that will require
work this
winter. Matching the existing gel coat looks tough.
And I'd rather save
my refinishing money for the glider itself some day.
So what's been the
experience repairing/refinishing/painting German glass-top
trailers?

Chip Bearden
ASW 24 'JB'